What drives brand decisions in Québec

June 17, 2015

As expected, the Québec government indicated last week its intention to challenge Québec's Court of Appeal's ruling that the province cannot force companies to add a French component to their name.

UPDATE: At a news conference today, Hélène David, the minister responsible for the French Language Charter, said the government will oblige Québec retailers to add French descriptives to their outdoor banners. However, David confirmed Québec has decided not to appeal the Québec Court of Appeal ruling. Instead, it it will change the law at the level of regulations.

Several multinationals took the province to court after they were told by the Office québécois de la langue française to change their names or risk running afoul of the rules governing the language of business in the province. A Québec Superior Court judge sided with the companies, which included Walmart, Costco, Best Buy, Gap, Old Navy and Guess.

I leave it to others to debate whether this should be forced upon retailers through legislation. It's a sensitive issue but one marketers would be wise to consider from all angles before dismissing it as just one more obstacle to overcome when doing business in Québec.

Québec Premier Philippe Couillard was a brain surgeon before entering politics. He could also have been a marketer. This time, the governments appears to be adopting a slightly different tone. The narrative from past government on this delicate issue has often been about protecting the French language and the Québec nation's distinct identity. It still is but Mr. Couillard gave a different explanation for his government's position - one that sounds more like a marketer's viewpoint than a politician's.

The Premier gave the example of Second Cup:

“Everyone knows that they sell coffee, but it’s like this company said, ‘I know where I am, I know what environment I am in and recognize the existence of the French in Quebec.

“We don’t want to erase trademarks – it’s not that Canadian Tire will become Pneu canadien, let’s be clear on that, but it’s a question of politeness.”

A question of politeness

Most companies operating across geographies comply with local regulations while looking for efficiencies. It's not always an easy balance to achieve and Québec, with its many unique requirements, can be particularly challenging. Those who are frustrated by Québec's demand that a French descriptor be added to English trademarks will view this latest move as one more costly irritant.

Others will view it differently. Many already have; through a marketer's lens instead of a lawyer's.

The Premier called it a politesse, a courtesy. The importance of being courteous is nothing new to retailers. Let's stay with coffee. According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Specialty Coffee Retailer Satisfaction Report, staff, more than price or merchandise offerings, is key to driving higher satisfaction among specialty coffee customers. One of the key staff factor is courtesy. It's not a stretch to suggest that adapting all brand touch points in Québec to cater to French-speaking customers can signal a higher level of courtesy, including the sign above a store's entrance.

A competitive advantage

Quebeckers will view a retailer's brand more favourably if it makes an effort to adjust to their needs. For retailers, adding a French descriptor to an English name is a symbolic way to signal that they are catering to them. There is directional evidence of this in the findings from our firm's What Québec Wants™ study. When we asked 3,000 Canadians whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement "I prefer to buy products and services from companies that make an effort to cater to the specific preferences and needs of people in my locality", 63% of French-speaking Quebeckers agreed compared to 50% of Canadians living in the ROC.

There are no doubt cost and operational implications for doing so. When Crate & Barrel added the word “maison” next to its name, it did what many others have done without being forced to. To quote the Premier again, "it said, 'I know what environment I am in" and I will brand myself accordingly.

There is no law forcing banks and other retailers to have signage in Chinese in Markham, Ontario and in other communities across Canada. They do so voluntarily. Clearly, these organizations see it as an investment instead of a cost. Even Québec's Banque Nationale thinks it's a business practice that will help its brand in that community.

Retailers should carefully consider their position on this issue. Rather than look at this as being forced to invest to protect the French language, they should consider assessing how it might benefit their brand to be the more polite one.

May 12, 2015

The Quebec Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed the Attorney General of Quebec’s appeal and confirmed the Québec Superior Court’s April 9, 2014 decision to the effect that retailers are not required to add French descriptors to non-French trademarks featured on storefront signage.

On April 27, 2015, the Quebec Court of Appeal rendered its highly anticipated decision in the language of outdoor signage controversy that has been occupying many retailers in the province. The Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed the Attorney General of Quebec’s appeal and confirmed the Québec Superior Court’s April 9, 2014 decision to the effect that the plaintiff retailers can rely on the “recognized” trademark exception and are not required to add French descriptors to non-French trademarks featured on storefront signage.

By way of background, last April 9, 2014, the Québec Superior Court had granted a declaratory judgment in favour of eight of Québec’s leading retailers. The retailers had petitioned the Court to clarify whether their use of a non-French trademark on storefront signage violated the Charter of the French Language or its Regulation respecting the language of commerce and business. The Quebec Attorney General subsequently filed an appeal requesting that the Quebec Court of Appeal reverse the judgment, and declare that the use of a trademark on outdoor signage constituted the use of a business name, requiring French descriptors. This week, the Quebec Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and confirmed the judgment of the Quebec Superior Court.

March 26, 2015

Boston Pizza continues its apparently successful ad campaign in Québec featuring well-known comic Louis Morissette. Set in a restaurant, the spokesperson is asked by a family enjoying a meal if they’re going to be part of a commercial. They chat about what a Boston Pizza spot would likely communicate - effectively delivering the key messages. It ends with the teenage son telling Morissette that all that’s missing to make this a really good ad would be a well-known stand-up comic. (“Tout ce qui manque pour que ce soit une bonne annonce, ce serait un humoriste populaire.”)

When an ad shows consumers advising on ad strategy, it’s perhaps proof that the strategy of using celebrity comics to pitch brands has become rather expected in Québec.

March 03, 2015

That’s the theme for Target’s latest campaign in the U.S. aimed at Hispanic “guests”.

Target’s new Hispanic campaign features words with no English equivalent. According to Target’s website, this is “a first-of-its-kind for Target. #SinTraducción is a sweeping celebration of moments, traditions and emotions that are treasured by many in the Hispanic culture. Using a number of these untranslatable terms as inspiration, the campaign invites Target’s guests to experience the brand in a more personal way.”

For example, the first of two launch spots is named "Arrullo," which means "lullaby," and is often used to describe the right ambience and setting to put a baby to sleep. The second, called "Sobremesa," is about the period of time right after dinner in which family and friends linger at the dinner table to catch up or spend quality time together.

Rick Gomez, senior VP, brand and category marketing at Target is quoted in this Ad Age article: ”The Hispanic guest loves Target but were always looking to connect on a deeper level, ’Sin Traducción' does exactly that. It's a way for Target to make a connection with our Hispanic guest on a deeper, more emotional level.”

Target is right. There are also words in québécois French that are untranslatable. Here are a few from the Dictionnaire de la langue québécoise de Léandre Bergeron, VLB Éditeur

“With no offence to the word balance, I feel that this is a word that we have to be careful of lately. Because it’s become another tool in the arsenal that women especially are using against themselves as one more things they’re not doing right. And I really do think it’s become a weapon. Maybe let go of that little word. For me peace comes when I kind of embrace the beautiful mess that I am. Just let it be that. And then start again the next day."

Gilbert says it’s a word women need to be careful of “lately”. This struck me.

I interviewed Mary Lou Quinlan in New York twelve years ago for a project that required an insight into women and their approach to healthy living. Mary Lou had recently published her book Just Ask A Woman and I was hoping to pick her brain. She delivered. Here’s what she had to say about the word “balance” a decade before Elizabeth Gilbert said something similar Oprah.

Balance and équilibre are loaded and complicated words that brands have used to speak to women. You might consider asking women about how they really feel about these words before using them to promote your brand.

February 15, 2015

February 06, 2015

"Isabelle Huot holds a PhD in Nutrition. One would think she also holds one in marketing with a specialty in personal branding." That's what we wrote in a blog post two years ago about Isabelle Huot - Québec's highly influential and successful nutritionist.

She's apparently been busier than usual lately. The über nutritionist has just launched a line of RTE meals available in grocery stores across the province.

We've had the opportunity to work with Isabelle 10 years ago. Even then, it was obvious that she was on a mission. It's nice to see her building her brand and business while delivering much needed nutritional information to Quebeckers - who, incidentally, need it.

February 04, 2015

Québec sure is getting a lot of attention these days. From Toronto-based ad agencies that is.

Four ‘national’ agencies have recently opened offices in Montréal. Some of the news reports about these announcements make it sound like the decision to expand into Québec came from a sudden realization that a market that represents a quarter of the country’s population is worth paying attention to.

One would think that Québec is on every marketer's radar. It's not.

As someone who has been advising clients on Québec for the past 30 years, I’ve seen the full range. From clients who actively factor Québec in all marketing decisions to those who barely do the minimum required to maintain a presence in the market. The latter group isn’t ill-intentioned. As one CMO once explained to me, they simply do not consider Québec as their ‘primary cultural market’. Another once told me that they would eventually focus on Québec when their plans call for an investment in ethnic marketing. These are Canadian clients. U.S.-based clients can be even more challenging. Viewed from the boardrooms of these multinationals, Québec often looks like Puerto Rico. A small regional market requiring that business be conducted in a different language.

ad for the AAPQ on montreal.ad

Québec wasn’t always an afterthought. Global agency Young and Rubicam opened its first office outside the United States in Montréal in 1934 before opening in Toronto two years later. Expanding operations by opening offices in other geographies was a necessity as U.S.-based clients expanded globally. McCann Erickson followed Coca-Cola around the globe. Others followed Procter and Gamble.

While the recent announcements focus on agencies choosing to build their Québec capabilities from scratch with shiny new offices and local talent, there are other ways to ensure clients get the right expertise to build their brands in the Québec market. Some agency networks acquired established agencies - wholly or partly - (e.g. FCB and Auger Babeux in 1995, TBWA and Tam Tam in 1997). Others created strategic alliances (e.g. Lowe Roche and Cartier, DDB and Bleublancrouge) for all or some of their clients’ needs in Québec. Some of these marriages lasted while others failed. In other cases, clients chose a separate agency for Québec that was independent from the agency they used for English Canada (e.g. Home Depot hired Cossette in Québec while working with Publicis in English Canada, Kruger Products hired PALM in Québec while retaining John St.). Others, like Rethink, had French creative resources ‘embedded’ in their Vancouver office before opening an office in Montréal.

Providing clients with effective solutions for the Québec market depends less on the structure and the nature of the agency’s capabilities than on its ability to make the relationship work with Toronto decision-makers and base its recommendations on facts within the broader business context.

Many years ago - before email -, I had stickers applied to every phone in the agency with this simple reminder: “Did you call Montréal?” No matter how collaborative everyone intends to be, it’s easy to forget the Québec team when the pressure is on. Ensuring that Québec is at the table at every step of the advertising development process is critical. And this includes having a perspective on strategy early on before ideas are generated. Proximity helps. Our firm operates primarily out of our Toronto office making it easier to be directly involved as early and as often as needed.

Providing the Québec perspective shouldn’t always be about highlighting differences between French-speaking consumers and those living in the ROC. There are of course plenty of differences but the starting point should be the similarities. You can’t pre-determine that a separate approach will be required for Québec unless you also understand the similarities.

Marketers should also beware of the myths about marketing in Québec. A senior market research executive once declared to a room full of marketers in Toronto that blondes shouldn’t be used in advertising in Québec. The evidence actually suggests the opposite. Asked in a survey what hair colour they’d like to have for a day, proportionally more women in Québec chose to be blondes than in the ROC.

Some believe that there is a formula that guarantees success in Québec; the use of humour usually by signing a local celebrity to promote your brand. Why would there be a single winning recipe for effective advertising in Québec when there clearly isn't one for success in English Canada? Some marketers have learned this at their own very high expense.

Successful brand building in Québec requires knowledge of the market and the brand. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. One needs to know when to adopt, adapt or create. Those who believe that only original creative made for Québec can be effective in that market are badly mistaken. Just as those who think that simple translation will do the trick. There’s a whole range of options including transcreation where a campaign is localized for a market instead of being translated. It’s also rarely an all-or-nothing situation. A global campaign can be adopted with local activations designed for the Québec market to address specific issues and opportunities.

The head of one of the agencies that recently opened an office in Montréal says clients are asking more fundamental questions about Québec. That’s a healthy sign for the industry. Let’s hope the answers to those questions help build stronger brands and businesses.

January 04, 2015

La Presse recently published this ranking based on the subjective assessment of four experts in marketing-communications in Québec who were presented with one hundred brands to choose from.

While the ranking is debatable (you might want to have a look at Ipsos Most Influential Brands study instead), how the top ten brands are perceived by the experts offers insights into what makes strong brands in Québec.

Canadiens de Montréal is a cult brand, win or lose.

Desjardins is apparently the only bank Quebeckers are not afraid of and feel attached to.

Vidéotron focuses almost exclusively on customer service.

Cirque du Soleil might be getting old but it still rides on Quebeckers’ pride.

St-Hubert diversifies its menu but its loyal customers keep coming back for BBQ chicken.

Metro knows how to earn and reward loyalty.

ICI Radio-Canada gets its inspiration from its viewers.

La Presse has really figured out digital.

Québec’s Liquor Board, the SAQ, is loved for its love of wine.

Jean Coutu remains the pharmacist/father figure everyone loves.

Note that the captions for Jacques Labelle and Stéphane Mailhiot were inverted. That's what branding experts call poor brand attribution.

November 22, 2014

Black Friday, the retailer-created shopping event following Thanksgiving in the U.S., is increasingly popular in Canada.

A survey by New York-based IPG Mediabrands found a staggering one million Canadian workers plan on phoning in sick on Nov. 28 (Black Friday) and/or Dec. 1 (Cyber Monday), the dates of this year’s retail blitz.

According to findings from a survey conducted last year for BMO, 47% of Quebeckers were planning to make purchases on Black Friday in 2013, up from 41% in 2012.

The day's name originated in Philadelphia, where it originally was used to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic which would occur on the day after Thanksgiving. Use of the term started before 1961 and began to see broader use outside Philadelphia around 1975. Later an alternative explanation was made: that retailers traditionally operated at a financial loss ("in the red") from January through November, and "Black Friday" indicates the point at which retailers begin to turn a profit, or "in the black”.

Whatever the origins, the name is meaningless, if not depressing, in French Québec.

Retailers have been using different French names to give meaning to their sales events. Some call it Vendredi Noir. Others like Banana Republic call it Super vendredi. Some simply call it Méga Vente Black Friday (it should be “solde”, not “vente”). To be safe, Centre HiFi calls it Vendredi noir and Black Friday.